Takeda offers dengue shot cheaper in Brazil, Indonesia

BLOOMBERG

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co will sell its dengue vaccine at a steep discount in emerging markets, part of its plan to make sure that people most vulnerable to the life-threatening disease will have access to the immunisation. The cost for Qdenga in Indonesia will be about one-third its European price, far lower than many other innovative vaccines, Takeda Chief Executive Officer Christophe Weber said in an interview. It will also sell the shot at a discount in Brazil, one of the largest countries where the disease is endemic to approve the vaccine.
Qdenga is one of the first innovative vaccines that primarily targets developing countries, Weber said, and it’s difficult to ensure access without cutting the cost.  Takeda’s recommended retail price for a course of two shots is about $80 out of pocket for Indonesians — compared with $238 in Germany, Weber said. It will be available in the Southeast Asian nation, the world’s fourth-most populous and a place where dengue runs rampant, in April or May, he said, with May being more likely. “We really wanted to make sure that significant part of the population can afford it,” he said.
Even so, $80 per course could still be out of reach for many Indonesians, especially people living in rural areas who are most at risk of the disease. Indonesia had gross national income per capita of $3,870 in 2021, according to the World Bank.
About half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of the mosquito-borne disease. Asia represents up to 70% of the global burden, according to the World Health Organization. Scientists have warned that climate change will likely hasten the spread of the mosquito species that carries the virus. An uptick in international travel as the world recovers from Covid will also increase exposure to it.
Slashing the price of Qdenga depending on developing countries’ economic status and household income is a part of Takeda’s strategy to boost access, Weber said. Globally, pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to sell vaccines and drugs more cheaply in low- and middle-income countries than in developed nations — so-called tiered pricing — to ensure equity in accessing life-saving treatments.  The Tokyo-based company projects the vaccine could eventually generate $1.6 billion in annual sales.